Considering Cincinatti, but I have some reservations (Columbus, Cincinnati: real estate, credit)

[labrynthlily]

Hi,

I am 27, female, and my partner and I are planning to move within the next year. We're really laid back people, eco-friendly, family oriented, open-minded, and (based on our income) lower class

Our planned choice was originally Columbus (having lived there before and liked it), but I've been reading up on Cincinnati and I'm starting to fall in love with it.

I love the fact that there are hills. Being from southern ohio, they are a real comfort to me.

I love the historic quality of Cincy.

And while there's a ton of things to do in both cities, Cincy seems to hold more interests for me.

So, here's my dilemma.... My partner and I have a 14 month old daughter and we're really concerned how a child with 2 mommies would be welcomed in a city so often referred to as *conservative*.

I know that there are accepting and unaccepting people everywhere. We live in rural KY right now of all places, but have still been able to meet some really great people.

My concern is for when our daughter starts school. People are an entirely different animal when they go into parent mode.

For example: In Boyd Co. KY, (where we currently reside) the schools recently made the paper for having a parental boycott on Diversity Day.
It wasn't teaching that gay was right or wrong, only that people shouldn't be discriminated against for their lifestyle, religion, or race.
The parents freaked out and 2/3 of the school was kept at home in protest. This is NOT something that I want to be an issue in my daughters' school.

In closing, I'm just wanting to hear from some people to get a perspective on the overall mindset in cincy and whether or not we would be accepted.
Sorry so long. Thanks in advance.

[jlrosen]

Although the suburban areas that surround the city can be rather conservative, but the city itself if open minded. The Gay Marriage Ban failed within city limits when it was up for a vote.

[labrynthlily]

Well that's a little comforting. What's so hard is that, when we are able to purchase a house, I KNOW we'll want to live in a rural area. That's where we may run into some problems.

[restorationconsultant]

Don't sell the city short if you want to live in an rural area. We bought a house in a neighborhood up in the hills on the west side. We have a huge double lot. It is extremely quiet and there arent that many houses on our block. My partner and I were instantly accepted by the few neighbors we have and they were glad we were coming in and restoring a house and as it turns out about a fourth of the homes on our block are gay owned. There are a lot of areas in Cincinnati, thanks to the city 'blight=bulldozer' mentality where there are only 2-3 houses on a block and the house could sit on 3 or 4 lots. We can be downtown in 5 minutes but when we are up on our hill you would never know you are just a few minutes from downtown.

Take a little time to look at some of the urban neighborhoods, you might be surprised at the peace and quiet, not to mention the convenience factor. Prices in our neighborhood are VERY affordable at the moment you can pick up a decent ready to live in house on two or three lots for 25-50K. If you want a project, you can pick up a house for under 10. Now it wont stay that way forever, but for now its a bargain.

You will find narrow minded people everywhere and Cincinnati is no exception but over all I give Cincinnati credit for being as accomodating as they are.

[aquila]

No disrespect, restorationconsultant, but I think there's a difference between living in a rural area and living in a low-density suburban area, or urban area with large lots. It's not the same experience. Most people, when they hear or say "rural", mean exactly that...rural, as in "out in the country" - "farmland closeby". I think the OP would probably find your referrals to be a bit less rural than what they are talking about. Just sayin'...not arguing. The only place that a rural area will truly be found in Hamilton County is out in the western section. The problem there is that Western Hamilton County is very conservative and less likely to be accepting of the OP's situation.

Now...I can honestly say I know of a lesbian couple who lives in Fairfield Township, in the Fairfield School district. They have kids and apparently there aren't any issues. But it's not exactly a rural area.

The Lakota district is pretty tolerant and accepting. The thing is, while there are certain pockets that look "rural" in West Chester and Liberty, I really wouldn't consider them to be rural areas. Chances are their open areas will quickly develop in coming years.

labrynthlily, you might consider the Talawanda School district in NW Butler County. Given the fact that Oxford is somewhat "liberal", and Miami University is a pretty diverse and open place, you probably would have no problems once your daughter enters school. And there are tons of open, rural areas in the Talwanda District where I know you could find a home. It's a great area with those hills you love, and Hueston Woods in nearby. It's also not that far from Cincinnati and Hamilton for shopping, and various other cultural amenities.

[labrynthlily]

Thanks I took a look and the drive is only about 40 min. from downtown. That is totally do-able for us. It definately is a rural area. It's not that we don't like the city, we do. It's just that we were both raised in the country and love it, and we want our daughter to have that experience too.

And, although I do hate the suberbs, as long as we had a large lot and we didn't have nieghbors right up against us on either side, we would be willing to give them a chance.

I am concerned about purchasing a house in city limits though. We're never going to make a ton of money. The most we'll be able to afford (and this is after a few more years of saving) is around 75,000. I'd love to get an big old fixer upper that needed mostly cosmetic work, but I'm not sure if that price range is a possibility within city limits

[aquila]

Actually, it's more possible within the Cincinnati city limits than you might think. Cincinnati is one of the cheapest (ie. most affordable/lowest real estate costs/low cost-of-living) areas in the country. I'm just not sure exactly where to point you so that you can find both a cheap fixer-upper, in an accepting school district, with a large lot.

In thinking about it, Oxford might actually be too expensive for you - although the outer areas of the Talawanda District are not completely out of the question.

Darrtown might be a great option for you, as well as the Monroe area.

West Chester/Liberty would definitely be out of your price range, so scratch that off the wish-list.

IF you're really wanting to be close to a city and willing to put up with a "suburban" area that has large lots, then the only other place I can really think of (aside from Western Hamilton County) would maybe be outside the city of Hamilton itself....perhaps a place such as Millville or McGonigle.

The eastern section of the Cincinnati metro area is more liberal, but also a bit more expensive and you'd have to go out past I-275 to find something "rural" that you could afford. I'm sure that, in and of itself, isn't the issue for you. I'm just not as familiar with that side of the metro (outside the city itself) as I am the north and west sections.

[labrynthlily]

Thanks so much. At least now, I have a direction to begin looking in. It's so hard trying to make decisions without being able to really experience the area first. But your suggestions are making it a little easier

[restorationconsultant]

Aquila, Our neighbors around the block from us have chickens. To a city boy like me thats pretty rural. We routinely have racoons, rabbits, and deer wander down the street in the early morning. I wouldn't say we are exactly the definition of an urban area, even though we are in the city. It is very low density over here and we are surrounded by woods and open space.

[WhereForARt]

Heck, I live in Madison Place, about 15 minutes from downtown, and last week I saw 4 deer calmly strolling up my sidewalk from the wooded area at the end. But if you're truly looking for something "rural," you may want to try the east side, like Miamiville, Batavia, or Amelia - or even further out (although as someone pointed out, the further out you go, the more conservative the area).

I know a lot of gays and lesbians living in the area, and not all of them live in the city limits. I have two lesbian friends raising several children in Mason, which, although fast becoming a large bedroom community of Cincy, sits right next to lots of country farmland.

Overall, I really don't think you're going to have a problem - greater Cincinnati is pretty accommodating to just about anyone.